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UNITED STATES TARIFF COMMISSION 

WASHINGTON 


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INFORMATION 


CONCERNING THE 


PYRITES AND SULPHUR 

INDUSTRY 


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PRINTED FOR USE OF 

COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 


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WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
1919 


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UNITED STATES .TARIFF COMMISSION, 

WASHINGTON 


INFORMATION 

CONCERNING THE 

PYRITES AND SULPHUR 

INDUSTRY 


PRINTED FOR USE OF 

COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

♦ • 



WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
1919 






UNITED STATES TARIFF COMMISSION. 

Office: 1322 New York Avenue, Washington, D. C. 

COMMISSIONERS. 

F. W. Taussig, Chairman . 

Thomas Walker Page, Vice Chairman . 

David J. Lewis. 

William Kent. 

William S. Culbertson. 

Edward P. Costigan. 

William M. Steuart, Secretary . 


o. of s. 

AUG 20 ]919 


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i ( e 





CONTENTS 


Page. 

Letter of transmittal. 5 

Part I.—Introduction. 

Summary of the pyrites and sulphur situation. 7 

Part II.—The Pyrites Industry. 

Pyrites or sulphuret of iron: 

Description. 11 

Important uses. 12 

Domestic production: 

Geographical distribution. 12 

Production and consumption. 13 

History of the industry. 14 

Foreign production. 14 

Imports. 15 

Tariff history. j . 17 

Prices. 17 

Part III.—The Sulphur Industry. 

Sulphur or brimstone: 

Description. 19 

History of the industry. 19 

Largest producers. 20 

Methods of mining. 23 

Important uses.:.. 24 

Cost of production. 25 

Imports of sulphur. 25 

Domestic exports of sulphur. 27 

Wholesale prices of sulphur. 28 

Tariff history. 29 

Court and Treasury decisions. 30 

Bibliography. 31 

Producers of sulphur. 31 


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LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 


United States Tariff Commission, 

Washington, June 14, 1919. 
The Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives: 

I have the honor to transmit herewith, in accordance with your 
request, information compiled h} r the United States Tariff Commis¬ 
sion on the pyrites and sulphur industry. 

Very respectfully, 

Thomas Walker Page, 

Acting Chairman. 


5 































. 







































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k 


PART I. INTRODUCTION* 


SUMMARY OF THE PYRITES AND SULPHUR SITUATION. 

Pyrites is a natural mineral composed of iron and sulphur chemic¬ 
ally combined. Many deposits of pyrites contain a small per cent 
of copper which may be recovered as a valuable by-product. Pyrites 
is used as a raw material for the manufacture of sulphuric acid. 
The uses of sulphuric acid are so large, so varied, and so essential 
that it is undoubtedly the most important material of the chemical 
industries. It is used for making superphosphate of lime and sul¬ 
phate of ammonia which are important ingredients for fertilizers, for 
refining petroleum, the manufacture of tin plate, galvanized iron, and 
enameled iron, the manufacture of explosives, celluloid, dyes, and 
scores of other purposes. 

Sulphur is one of the chemical elements which occurs in nature in 
a free state and also chemically combined in a great variety of 
minerals including pyrites, zinc, and copper ores and gypsum. 
Sulphur can be used for the manufacture of sulphuric acid and in 
addition has a great variety of other uses, including the manufacture 
of paper, as a preventive and remedy for fungous diseases of plants 
(either alone or combined with lime), for the vulcanization of rubber, 
the manufacture of some varieties of matches and o^d-fashion black 
gunpowder, the manufacture and application of the so-called “ sul¬ 
phur ” dyes, and many other chemicals. The introduction of poison 
gas warfare brought a new use for sulphur in the manufacture of 
mustard gas. 

Both pyrites and sulphur may be used in the manufacture of sul¬ 
phuric acid, and therefore the producers of sulphur and pyrites are 
at least potential rivals in supplying the raw material for the largest 
of all chemical industries. Pyrites on an average contain from about 
40 per cent of sulphur for the domestic product to about 48 per cent 
for the Spanish product, while native sulphur produced in the United 
States is usually more than 99 per cent pure. This gives sulphur a 
decided advantage over pyrites in regard to freight rates, since over 
twice as much pyrites as sulphur must be transported to obtain 
equivalent amounts of sulphur. Sulphur has other advantages over 
pyrites as a raw material for sulphuric acid making. It burns more 
readily and requires less labor in handling, gives a purer product and 
gives a larger output from any given sulphuric-acid plant. This is 
offset in part by the recovery of copper as by-product from the 
pyrites from some mines. The present and prospective condition of 
competition between these two commodities to supply the sulphur 
required in the manufacture of sulphuric acid can best be shown by a 
short historical discussion of these two industries. 

Sulphur has been produced commercially in Sicily for several hun¬ 
dred years past, and it was the first raw material to be used in the 

7 



8 


UNITED STATES TARIFF COMMISSION REPORT. 


manufacture of Sulphuric acid. For many years past and up until 
about 1903, Sicily supplied over 95 per cent of the world’s demand 
for native sulphur. Sulphur was used to the exclusion of pyrites in 
the manufacture of sulphuric acid until the year 1838. At this time 
a monopoly of the Sicilian export trade in sulphur was placed in the 
hands of a French company (MM. Taix & Cie. of Marseille), which 
nearly tripled the price of sulphur. This forced the English manu¬ 
facturers of sulphuric acid to seek a cheaper raw material and iron 
pyrites, which is found in enormous deposits in Spain and Portugal, 
proved to be satisfactory as the raw material for sulphuric acid. 
During the next 20 years sulphur was gradually but steadily replaced 
by pyrites in the manufacture of sulphuric acid. The Sicilian pro¬ 
ducers have never since been able to regain the sulphuric-acid trade, 
because they could not sell sulphur cheap enough to replace pyrites. 

The chemical industries in the United States developed several 
decades after the English chemical industries and, in the beginning 
at least, followed English practice. Pyrites became the raw material 
used for practically all of the sulphuric acid made in this country. In 
recent years, however, considerable sulphuric acid has been made from 
the waste fumes of the smelters, especially those roasting copper and 
zinc sulphide ores. Very little sulphur was used in the manufacture 
of sulphuric acid. The pyrites required was chiefly imported ore 
from Spain and Portugal. There was, however, some development of 
domestic deposits, which supplied about 25 per cent of the consump¬ 
tion in this country prior to the war. 

In 1865 a large underground deposit of sulphur was found in west¬ 
ern Louisiana. There followed nearly 30 years of effort on the part 
of different companies to successfully work this deposit by ordinary 
mining methods. Owing to the overburden of quicksand impregnated 
with poisonous hydrogen sulphide gas, all of these attempts resulted 
in failure and loss of life and of capital. In 1903 an ingenious and 
radically new method for obtaining sulphur from this deposit invented 
by Plerman Frasch, an American engineer, proved to be an industrial 
success. The essential feature of the Frasch process is to sink a well 
about 1 foot in diameter down to the sulphur deposit and then pump 
hot water under high pressure into the sulphur. The hot water melts 
the sulphur and forces it to the surface through a smaller inner tube. 
From this time on the American market for sulphur in the manufac¬ 
ture of paper and chemicals was lost to the Sicilian producers. The 
Frasch process, which has been developed and exploited by the Union 
Sulphur Co., has proved to be a great industrial and financial success. 
Shortly before the outbreak of the European war the Union Sulphur 
Co. had made preparations to enter on a large scale the European 
market for sulphur, but the outbreak of the war caused these plans 
to be postponed. In 1915 the United States became the leading pro¬ 
ducer of sulphur and is now apparently in a position of commanding 
importance in the sulphur markets of the world. 

The domestic producers of sulphur, prior to the war, did not attempt 
to compete with pyrites in the manufacture of sulphuric acid. They 
were able to realize larger profits by maintaining the price of sulphur 
at $22 per ton f. o. b. New York and supplying the paper and chemical 
trade rather than by reducing the price of sulphur to a point where 
they could obtain the sulphuric-acid business. The war has caused a 


PYRITES AND SULPHUR INDUSTRY. 


9 


decided change in the pyrites and sulphur situation in the United 
States. The demand for sulphuric acid during the war for the 
manufacture of explosives increased so that the production in 1917 
was about twice the production in 1913. The difficulty and lack of 
ocean shipping made it impossible to meet this large increased 
demand with Spanish pyrites. Moreover domestic pyrites, although 
the production increased about 35 per cent during the war, was 
unable to meet the total demand and sulphur, therefore, was 
used in large quantities in the manufacture of sulphuric acid. The 
annual domestic production of sulphur has increased more than 
1,000,000 tons since 1914 when the production was 327,634 long tons. 
This represents an increase of over 300 per cent as compared to about 
a 35 per cent increase in the domestic production of pyrites. 

The competitive conditions in the sulphur industry have changed 
greatly during the war. The original Frascli patents owned by the 
Union Sulphur Co., which formerly gave this company a practical 
monopoly of the sulphur market in this country, have expired and 
later patents on modifications of this process have recently been 
declared void by the Circuit Court of Appeals of the Third Circuit. 
The Freeport Sulphur Co. has developed a large output during the 
war. A third large company. The Texas Gulf Sulphur Co., began 
production on a large scale in March, 1919. It is expected that there 
will be sharp competition between these companies. Should this 
occur and these sulphur producers undertake to supply the require¬ 
ments of the sulphuric acid manufacturers in the United States, it is 
assumed that the price of sulphur will decrease. 

The stocks of sulphur above ground and ready for shipment at the 
mines is estimated to be about 1,500,000 tons, nearly five times the 
annual prewar consumption in this country. The Federal Trade 
Commission has reported (see p. 25) that the cost of producing sulphur 
in Louisiana and Texas during 1917 was about $6 per ton. These 
figures indicate that the sulphur producers can reduce the price of 
sulphur to a point where the imported Spanish pyrites will not com¬ 
pete in the production of sulphuric acid. 

Under such conditions, American sulphur producers, regardless of 
any tariff duties, enjoy comparative advantages making them inde¬ 
pendent of foreign competition. For like reasons, American pyrites 
producers can expect little, if any, benefit either from a duty on 
sulphur or one on pyrites. The serious competition which domestic 
pyrites producers face comes from American sulphur, not from im¬ 
ported pyrites. 

128899—19-2 




PART II. THE PYRITES INDUSTRY. 


PYRITES OR SULPHURET OF IRON. 

DESCRIPTION. 

Par. 617. * * . * and sulphur ore as pyrites, or sulphuret of iron in its natural 
state, containing in excess of 25 per centum of sulphur. 

The name “pyrites” in more recent years has been used to signify 
a variety of sulphide minerals possessing a metallic luster and a hard¬ 
ness of about 6. However, the term as generally used and as used 
in the tariff act of 1913 “Pyrites or sulphuret of‘iron” refers to the 
disulphide of iron, FeS 2 . Chemically, when pure, it is composed of 
53.3 per cent of sulphur and 46.7 per cent of iron, but that commonly 
used for the manufacture of sulphuric acid contains from 43 to 48 per 
cent of sulphur. An ore containing less than 35 per cent sulphur is 
seldom used for making sulphuric acid, as it will not support its own 
combustion. The ore is usually mixed with gangue or more fre¬ 
quently with other sulphuretted ores, such as pyrrhotite and copper 
pyrites. 

Pyrites occurs as a dense, hard mineral of crystalline structure and 
pale yellow color. This color, similar to gold, has caused the mineral 
to be mistaken for gold, with the resulting name of “fools gold” 
being applied to it. Pyrites also occurs associated with deposits of coal. 

The ore burns in the presence of air with a small blue flame and is 
capable of supporting its own combustion. The products of com¬ 
bustion are sulphur dioxide and ferric oxide. The formation of the 
former, when pyrites is burned, is the property that gives pyrites its 
wide use in the manufacture of sulphuric acid. 

Pyrites as commercially used is generally referred to as lump or 
fines. The lump ore consists of pieces more than an inch in diameter, 
with a certain allowable proportion of smaller particles, and it is 
used as it comes from the mines with little more than a sorting accord¬ 
ing to size. The fines are smaller particles and generally have been 
obtained by crushing the ore so small that the pyrite can be separated 
from the worthless gangue by some mechanical means, or the ore 
has disintegrated through having been leached. Owing to the differ¬ 
ent methods necessary to burn these two ores for the utilization of 
the sulphur, they can not be used interchangeably in the same 
burner; that is, each grade requires a special type of burner. The 
lump ore commands the higher price, but, of course, it is more diffi¬ 
cult to obtain a lump ore with as high a sulphur content as that of 
fines. As a result only a few mines can furnish lump ore and main¬ 
tain a high enough sulphur content, whereas suitable fines may be 
obtained even from deposits in which the pyrite is sparsely dis¬ 
seminated. 

Commercial transactions in pyrite ore are based on the percentage 
content of sulphur. The price quotations on pyrites refer to a unit, 
which is 1 per cent of sulphur per ton of ore, or 20 pounds. For ex¬ 
ample, if the price is 17 cents per unit and the ore on analysis showed 
50 per cent sulphur, the price per ton of ore would be $8.50. 


ll 



12 


UNITED STATES TARIFF COMMISSION REPORT. 


IMPORTANT USES. 

The chief use of pyrites is for the manufacture of sulphuric acid, 
which is an important material for the manufacture of acid phos¬ 
phate for fertilizers. About 1,250,000 tons are consumed each year 
in the United States for the manufacture of sulphuric acid. The 
iron oxide that remains as a residue after the burning of the ore is 
sometimes ground and sold for use as a pigment for paints, or it may 
be used as iron ore. However, in many plants it is a waste product. 
The Spanish pyrites usually contain sufficient copper to pay for 
recovering it from the residue after the sulphur has been burned out. 

DOMESTIC PRODUCTION. 

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 

Prior to 1915, Virginia produced about 50 per cent of the domestic 
output of pyrites. California was the next largest producing State. 
From 1914 to 1918 the production of Virginia remained about con¬ 
stant while the production of California has increased until it is 
nearly equal to that of Virginia. These two States produce about 
65 per cent of the total output. 

There are four main areas containing promising pyrite deposits in 
the United States: (1) The Appalachian Mountain region; (2) the 
interior States, where it is a by-product of coal mining; (3) the Rocky 
Mountain States; and (4) in the Coast Ranges. More than three- 
fourths of the domestic consumption of pyrites is in the region east of 
the Mississippi River. As a consequence the western deposits can 
not compete in the eastern market against Spanish pyrites and can 
not be profitably utilized except for local demands. 


Production in United States, by States. 

[Figures from reports of the United States Geological Survey.] 


States. 

1910 

1911 

1912 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

California. 

Illinois. 

Indiana. 

Ohio. 

Virginia. 

Wisconsin.;. 

Other States. 

Total. 

Long tons. 
27,158 
8,541 
0) 

3,766 
140,106 
12,555 
49,486 

$129,504 
28,159 

0) 

12,831 
525,437 
49,467 
232,580 

Long tons. 
48,415 
17,441 

(9 

6,471 
150,800 
12,893 
65,438 

$182,787 

47,020 

(9 

18,017 
558,494 
50,025 
308,528 

Long tons. 
61,812 
27,008 
1,462 
14,487 
162,478 
17,898 
65,783 

$201,453 

62,980 

5,684 

43,853 

621,219 

70,518 

328,552 

241,612 

977,978 

301,458 

1,164,871 

350,928 

1,334,259 

States. 

1913 

1914 

1915 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

California. 

Georgia. 

Illinois. 

Indiana. 

Ohio. 

Virginia. 

Wisconsin... 

Other States. 

kws _ , 

Total. 

Long tons. 
70,536 
11,110 
11,246 
1,242 
13,622 
148,259 
25,328 
59,995 

$218,525 

55,094 

31,966 

3,115 

34,998 

587,041 

94,727 

260,618 

Long tons. 
71,272 

(9 

22,538 
1,710 
7,279 
141,276 
14,188 
78,399 

$235,129 

(9 

59,079 
5,281 
19,718 
556,091 
78,460 
329,588 

Long tons. 
132,270 
(9 

14,849 
972 
10,857 
145,050 
13,985 
76,141 

$496,111 
(9 

22,476 
3,080 
27,404 
729,644 
43,354 
352,864 

341,338 

1,286,084 

336,662 

1,283,346 

394,124 

1,674,933 


1 Included in other States. 


























































PYRITES AND SULPHUR INDUSTRY. 
Production in United States, by States— Continued. 


13 


States. 

1916 

1917 

1918 » 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

California. 

Georgia. 

Illinois. 

Ohio. 

Virginia. 

Other States. 

Total. 

Lonq tons. 
145.762 

( 2 ) 

20,482 
13.551 
148,502 
95.259 

$565,699 
( 2 ) 

51,432 
36,114 
925,243 
387,214 

Long tons. 
115.817 
23.242 
24,596 
13,218 
170,382 
115,407 

$333,501 
155,560 
89,998 
29,557 
1.378.043 
498,776 

Long tons. 
111,861 
31,315 
24,369 
9,845 
134,172 
143, 758 


423,556 

1,965, 702 

462,662 

2,485,435 

455,320 



1 Published by permission from advance sheets of Mineral Resources. Preliminary figures subject to 
revision. 2 included in other States. 


PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION. 

The domestic production of pyrites prior to the war was about 
340,000 long tons, valued at about $1,250,000. The production has 
been greatly stimulated during the war by the large increased demand 
for sulphuric acid. In 1917 the production increased to 462,662 long 
tons, valued at $2,485,435. This represents a 35 per cent increase 
over the prewar production, but only a 10 per cent increase over the 
production in 1916. The increase was due primarily to the increased 
output of existing mines rather than from developments of new 
deposits. The domestic production in 1918 was expected to be 
greater than in 1917, but it decreased to 455,320 long tons. 

The domestic production prior to the war supplied about 25 per 
cent of the total consumption of pyrites in the United States. In 
1917 the domestic production supplied about 32 per cent of the 
consumption in the United States and in 1918 about 48 per cent. 
The increase is due to a decrease in imports rather than an increase 
in domestic output. The following table shows the production, 
importation, and consumption of pyrites since 1910: 

Production , imports, and consumption of pyrites 4 


Year. 

! 

Produc¬ 

tion. 

Imports. 

Consump¬ 

tion. 

Year. 

Produc¬ 

tion. 

Imports. 

Consump¬ 

tion. 

1910. 

Long tons. 
241,612 
301,458 
350,928 
341,338 
336,662 

Long tons. 

803,551 
1,006,310 
970,785 
850,592 
1,026,617 

Long tons. 
1,045,163 
1,307,768 
1,321,713 
1,191,930 
1,363,279 

1915. 

Long tons. 
394,124 
423,556 
462,662 
455,320 

Long tons. 

964,634 
1,244,662 
967,340 
496,792 

Lonq tons. 
1,358,758 
1,668,218 
1,430,002 
952,112 

1911. 

1916. 

1912. 

1917. 

1913. 

1918. 

1914. 




1 Production from reports of the Geological Survey, imports from Commerce Department. 


Production of pyrites in United States. 


[Figures from United States Geological Survey.] 


Year. 

Long 

tons. 

Value. 

V'alue per 
long ton. 

Year. 

Long 

tons. 

Value. 

Value per 
long ton. 

1900. 

204,615 
207,081 
247,070 
241,612 
301,458 
350,928 

$749,991 
814,808 
1,028,157 
977,978 
1,164,871 
1,334,259 

$3.68 

3. 94 
4.20 
4.05 
3.86 

3.80 

1913. 

341,338 

336.662 
394,124 
423,556 

462.662 
455,320 

$1,286,084 
1,283,346 
1,674,933 
1,965,702 
2,485,435 

$3. 77 
3.81 
4.25 
4.64 
5.58 

1904.. 

1914. 

1909. 

1915. 

1910. 

1916. 

1911. 

1917. 

1912 

1918 1 . 






i Published by permission from advance sheets of Mineral Resources. Preliminary figures subject to 
revision. 







































































































14 


UNITED STATES TARIFF COMMISSION REPORT. 


HISTORY OF THE INDUSTRY. 

Pyrites has been known from early times, when deposits were 
worked for the copper which the ore contained. The ore assumed 
no great importance until it was discovered that it could be used 
instead of sulphur in the manufacture of sulphuric acid. 

The first application of pyrites in the making of sulphuric acid is 
described in an English patent in 1818. However, there was not 
much development along this line until in 1838, when the Sicilian 
Government granted a monopoly for the exportation of Sicilian sul¬ 
phur to the Marseilles firm of Taix & Co. This firm at once tripled 
the price of sulphur with the result that the manufacturers of sul¬ 
phuric acid sought a cheaper raw material. This lead to the devel¬ 
opment of the use of pyrites as the source of sulphur necessary for 
the manufacture of sulphuric acid. In 1839 pyrites was first used 
on a large scale in England for the manufacture of sulphuric acid. 

The Sicilian monopoly on sulphur did not last long and some of 
the producers of sulphuric acid returned to sulphur as the raw mate¬ 
rial, but during the next 20 years sulphur was, gradually but steadily, 
replaced by pyrites for the production of sulphuric acid. 

The use of iron pyrites as the raw material for sulphuric acid has 
been followed by the utilization of the gases from the smelting of 
copper and zinc sulphide ores. These gases were formerly allowed to 
escape and were a great nuisance to the surrounding country, until 
legal pressure forced the companies to find a way of utilizing the 
gases. To-day the copper and zinc smelters constitute one of the 
important sources of sulphuric acid in this country. 

Pyrites at the beginning of the war was recognized as the cheapest 
raw material for the manufacture of sulphuric acid. However, sul¬ 
phur, during the war, was used in the manufacture of sulphuric acid 
on a scale greater than ever before, owing to the increased demand for 
sulphuric acid and the decrease and restriction of the import of 
Spanish pyrites. It is very likely that sulphur in the future will 
offer serious competition to pyrites in the manufacture of sulphuric 
acid. 

FOREIGN PRODUCTION. 

Spain and Portugal possess the largest deposits of pyrites that are 
known. The production of these two countries supplies about three- 
fourths of the world's demands. Of these two countries Spain is by 
far the largest producer. Spanish ore, especially that coming from 
Rio Tinto, has long been considered to be the best for the manu¬ 
facture of sulphuric acid. It is a copper-bearing ore, and contains 
about 3 per cent of this metal, which is usually recovered from the 
residue after the sulphur has been burned out. The Spanish ore as 
a rule never contains less than 46 per cent of sulphur and as high as 
52 per cent. The principal Spanish mines are controlled by French or 
English capital. Pyrites is used in Spain as copper ore also and the 
residue after the copper is extracted is suitable for sulphuric acid 
making. The potential output of Spanish pyrites is represented by 
both copper mineral and iron pyrites. The other countries pro¬ 
ducing over 200,000 long tons are the United States, France, Ger¬ 
many, Norway, Italy, and Portugal. 


PYRITES AND SULPHUR INDUSTRY, 


15 


Production of -pyrites in principal countries. 

[From Mineral Industry, 1917.] 

[Quantity, long tons, 2,240 pounds.] 


Countries. 

1910 

1911 

1912 

1913 

1914 

1915 

Belgium. 

210 

120 

146 

264 

0) 

G) 

Bosnia. 

562 

3,069 

6,118 

3,191 

4,389 

(i) 

Canada. 

48,099 

73,794 

72,776 

141,610 

200,902 

255,397 

England. 

10,229 

10,114 

10,522 

11,428 

11,661 

10,542 

France. 

246,478 

273,512 

277, 746 

306,254 

( x ) 

0) 

Germany. 

212,302 

214,025 

238,298 

224, 798 

C 1 ) 

G) 

Greece. 

32, 768 

35,392 

29,296 

126,845 

127,111 

11,922 

Hungary. 

91,004 

95,226 

102,170 

104,945 

100, 754 

C 1 ) 

Italy 2 3 4 . 

163,072 

162,663 

273,202 

312,232 

330,233 

363,488 

Japan. 

Newfoundland. 

77,180 
Nil. 

72,712 
2,461 
344.474 

73,746 

Nil. 

112,780 

114,013 

66,470 

Norway. 

316,916 

461,915 

434,252 

408,335 

505,299 

Portugal. 

307,965 

278,308 

3 591,946 

3 384,908 

2 72.245 

0) 

Russia. 

55,096 

111,269 

122.032 

4 127,947 

t 1 ) 

G) 


3,180,362 

3,232,294 

3,311,138 

2,232,846 

1,478,857 

1,456 

2S9,536 

339,430 

414,417 

912,268 

' 969', 324 

789', 705 

Sweden. 

25.043 

29.621 

31,332 

33,777 

32, 787 

75.119 

United States. 

223,691 

300,158 

351,074 

341,547 

336,681 

393.161 


Countries. 

1916 

1917 

Countries. 

1916 

1917 

Belgium. 

0) 

0) 

276,122 
10,488 
G) 

G) 

19,623 
G) 

403,812 

G) 

G) 

360,045 

8,515 

G) 

G) 

G) 

G) 

G) 

Japan. 

89,663 

G) 

Bosnia. 

N ewfoundland. 

Canada. 

N orwav. 

295,263 

G) 

G) 

1, 745,893 
938,610 
96,303 
423,816 

G) 

G) 

G) 

1,871,299 
370,963 

G) 

462,946 

England. 

Portugal. 

France. 

Russia. 

Germany. 

Greece. 

Hnnrarv . 

Sweden. 

Italy. 

United States. 




1 Reports not available. 

2 Cupriferous in part. 

3 Includes 120,148 tons copperiron pyrites in 1912 and 13,550 tons in 1913. 

4 Estimated. 

3 Taken directly from Estadistica Minera de Espana instead of from Mineral Industry. 

IMPORTS. 

The imports of pyrites have averaged about 980,000 long tons from 
1910 to 1917, inclusive, with a maximum import of 1,244,662 long 
tons in 1916. The import of pyrites from Spain and Portugal in 
1918 was restricted by the Government to 600,000 tons, owing to 
the scarcity of available shipping space. The actual importation 
during 1918 was only 496,792 long tons. (Above figures are for the 
calendar years.) The imports of pyrites from Canada during the 
fiscal year 1918 was about six times the prewar import from that 
country. 

Imports have furnished about 70 per cent of the domestic con¬ 
sumption of pyrites. 




































































16 


UNITED STATES TARIFF COMMISSION REPORT 


Imports of pyrites by countries. 


Imported from— 

1909 

1910 

1911 

Long 

tons. 

Value. 

Long tons. 

Value. 

Long 

tons. 

Value. 

Portugal... 

71,839 
545,448 
43,882 
100 

$244,970 
2,064,276 
152,467 
500 

86,264 
601,536 
39,500 
2,202 

$291,083 

2,197,613 

131,121 

6,888 

117,996 
742,758 
29,977 
3,550 

$391,375 
2,609,457 
91,392 
15,865 

Spain. 

Canada. 

All other. 

Total. 

661,269 

2,462,213 

729,502 

2,626,705 

894,281 

3,108,089 


Imported from— 

1912 

1913 

1914 

Portugal. 

117,914 
840,229 
37,103 
50 

$390,969 
3,388,029 
140,202 
250 

118,732 
814,534 
31; 293 

$392,296 
3,632,392 
86,948 

102,150 
638,711 
79,141 
12,132 

$333,978 
2,966,682 
312,575 
82,100 

Spain.. 

Canada. 

All other. 

Total. 



995,296 

3,919,450 

964,559 

4,111,636 

832,134 

3,695,335 

Imported from— 

1915 

1916 

1917 

Portugal. 

57,109 
687,812 
99,738 

$189,710 
3,531,048 
386,491 

46,351 
1,207,323 
120,896 
471 

$151,445 
6,489, 892 
473,625 
6,652 

16,475 
747,866 
171,268 

53,425 
5,170,447 
632,041 

Spain. 

Canada. 

All other. 

Total. 





844,659 

4,107,249 

1,375,041 

7,121,614 

, 

935,609 

5,855,913 



Imported from— 

1918. 

Long tons. 

Value. 

Portugal. 

2,700 
596,583 
205,163 
5,629 

$7, 700 
3,709,368 
765, 429 
39, 838 



Allother. 

Total. 

810,075 

4,522,335 



Imports of pyrites for consumption. 


Fiscal years. 

Rates of 
duty. 

Quantities. 

Values. 

Duties 

collected. 

Value per 
long ton. 

Actual and 
computed 
ad valorem 
rate. 

1909. 

Free. 

Long tons. 
661,712 
723,277 
893,487 
1,004,048 
966,575 
846,905 
875,949 
1.370, 059 
'935,749 
808,084 

$2,462,154 
2,617,725 
3,108,090 
3,900,145 
4,112,057 
3,753, 879 
4,139,649 
7,121,614 
5,855,913 
4,496,563 


$3.73 
3.62 

3. 48 
3.88 

4. 25 
4.43 
4.73 
5.19 
6. 25 
5.57 


1910... 




1911. 




1912. 




1913. 




1914. 




1915. 




1916. 




1917. 




1918. 









































































































































PYRITES AND SULPHUR INDUSTRY 


17 


TARIFF HISTORY. 

Pyrites or sulphuret of iron has been wholly free of duty since the 
passage of the act of 1894. Prior to this time such ore containing 
copper in excess of 2 per cent was assessed a duty on the copper 
content. The following table shows the tariff description of pyrites 
under the various acts, beginning with the act of 1894: 


Rates of duty. 


Act of— 

Para¬ 

graph. 

Tariff classification or description. 

Rates of 
duty, 
specific 
and ad 
valorem. 

1894. 

642 

* * * sulphur ore, as pyrites, or sulphuret of iron in its natural state, 
containing in excess of twenty-five per centum of sulphur * * *. 

* * * sulphur ore as pyrites, or sulphuret of iron in its natural 
state, containing in excess of twenty-five per centum of sulphur * * *. 

Free list. 

1897. 

674 

Do. 

1909. 

686 

* * * sulphur ore as pyrites, or sulphuret of iron in its natural state, 
containing in excess of twenty-five per centum of sulphur * * *. 

Do. 

1913. 

617 

* * * and sulphur ore as pyrites, or sulphuret of iron in its natural state, 
containing in excess of twenty-five per centum of sulphur * * *. 

Do. 


PRICES. 


The price of Spanish pyrites increased about 50 per cent during 
the war, while the price of domestic pyrites has increased from three 
to four times over the prewar prices. The following table shows 
the wholesale prices of pyrites in the New York market: 

Wholesale prices , spot, New York market , in cents per unit. 1 

[Data from Oil, Paint, and Drug Reporter.] 


Kinds of grades. 

Spanish 

lump, 

unbroken. 

Spanish 
crude, 
48-52 
per cent, 
export 
shipment. 

Spanish 

smalls, 

washed, 

fines. 

Furnace 
lump ore, 
washed, 
48-52 
per cent. 

Spanish 

lump, 

washed. 

Furnace 
nonar¬ 
senic less 
iV of 1 
per cent 
arsenic. 

Domestic 
concen¬ 
trates, 
f. o. b. 
mill. 

1912. 

January. 

12i-13| 

10}-11 

104-11 

12}-13 

12-13 

12f-13f 

124-13 

April. 

124-13} 

104-11 

10}-11 

124-13 

12-13 

12f-13| 

12^-13 

July. 

-@13} 

10}-11 

104-11 

—@13 

—@13 

13 -13f 

—@13 

October. 

-@13} 

loyn 

io}-ii 

—@13 

—@13 

13 -13! 

—@13 

1913. 

January. 

-@13i 

104-11 

104-11 

—@13 

—@13 

13 -13| 

—@13 

April. 

—@13} 

104-11 

i 0 }-ii 

—@13 

—@13 

13 -131 

—@13 

July. 

-@13} 

104-11 

io}-ii 

—@13 

—@13 

13 -13! 

9 — 9 } 

October. 

-@13} 

104-11 

io}-ii 

—@13 

—@13 

13 -131 

9 — 9 } 

1914. 

January. 

-@13} 

101-11 

10}-ii 

—@13 

~@13 

13 -13| 

9-9} 

April./. 

July. 

-@13} 

104-11 

io}-ii 

—@13 

—@13 

13 -13! 

9-9} 

-@13} 

104-11 

i0}-ii 

—@13 

—@13 

13 -13| 

9-9} 

October. 

-@13} 

10}-11 

10}-ii 

—@13 

—@13 

13 -13! 

7-9} 

1915. 

January. 

-@13} 

104-11 

10}-ii 

—@13 

—@13 

13 -13! 

7-94 

April. 

-@13} 

104-11 

io}-ii 

—@13 

—@13 

13 -13! 

7-9} 

July. 

October. 

-@13} 

10}-11 

10}-ii 

—@13 

—@13 

13 -13! 

7-9} 

-@13} 

104-11 

10}-ii 

—@13 

—@13 

13 -13| 

7-9} 

1916. 

January. 

April. 

July. 

October. 

—@16 

15 -15} 

15 -15} 

-@15} 

-@15} 

1 (% - 

- 

—@16 

15 -15} 

15 -15} 

-@15} 

—@15} 

16© — 

li -12 

—@16 

15 -15} 

15 -15} 

-@15} 

-@15} 

16@— 

11 -12 

— @16 

16 -16} 

16 -16* 

—@15} 

—@15} 

16©- 

11 -12 

1 Unit is 1 per cent of sulphur per ton of ore. 






















































18 


UNITED STATES TARIFF COMMISSION REPORT 


Wholesale prices , spot , New York market , in cen£s per nni£—Continued. 


Kinds of grades. 

Spanish 

lump, 

unbroken. 

Spanish 
crude, 
45-52 
per cent, 
export 
shipment. 

Spanish 

smalls, 

washed, 

fines. 

Furnace 
lump ore, 
washed, 
48-52 
per cent. 

Spanish 

lump, 

washed. 

Furnace 
nonar¬ 
senic less 
iV of 1 
per cent 
arsenic. 

Domestic 
concen¬ 
trates, 
f. o. b. 
mill. 

« 

1917. 

January. 

—@16 

16-161 

16-16* 

—@15* 

—@15* 

16©- 

11-12 

April. 

—@16 

16-16* 

16-16* 

—@15* 

—@15* 

16@ — 

11-12 

July. 

—@16 

16-16* 

16-16* 

—@15* 

—@15* 

16@ — 

11-12 

October. 

—@16 

16@ — 

16@ — 

16-16* 

16-16* 

16-16* 

11-12 

1913. 

January. 

16-16J 

16@ — 

16-16* 

16-161 

16-16* 

16-16* 

25-30 

April. 

17-17| 

17® - 

17® - 

17-171 

17-17* 

17-17* 

( 2 ) 

July.,. 

17-17 * 

17@ — 

17@— 

17-17* 

17-17* 

17-17* 

28-30 

October. 

17-17* 

17@ — 

17@ — 

17-17* 

17-17* 

17-171 

30-33 

1919. 

January. 

17-171 

17@— 

17@ — 

17-171 

17-171 

17-171 

27-28 

April. 

17-17* 

17@ — 

17® - 

17-17* 

17-17* 

17-17* 

( 2 ) 


2 Nominal. 




























PART III. THE SULPHUR INDUSTRY. 


SULPHUR OR BRIMSTONE. 

DESCRIPTION. 

Sulphur or brimstone, a free chemical element, has been known 
from the earliest time. It occurs in the free state in the vicinity of 
volcanoes, active and extinct. It is a characteristic product of vol¬ 
canic action. Sulphur also occurs in nature in chemical combination 
with other elements. The most important of these compounds are the 
sulphides of iron, copper, lead, and zinc; and the sulphates of calcium, 
magnesium, barium, and sodium. 

Sulphur comes into commerce in several forms, such as crude, 
refined or sublimed, flowers of, and precipitated or milk of sulphur. 
The refined or sublimed and flowers of sulphur are grades of high 
purity and are made from the crude sulphur or brimstone by distil¬ 
lation and condensation. The crude brimstone produced in this 
country, owing to the ingenious method of mining, is guaranteed to 
contain 95.5 per cent pure sulphur and often grades as high as 99.9 
per cent. This distinction in the forms of sulphur is recognized in 
the tariff act of 1909 and earlier acts, which levy a duty on “ Sulphur, 
refined or sublimed, or flowers of,” although no standard of purity or 
quality is stated. Under the act of 1913 all grades of sulphur are 
free of duty. 

The commercial sulphur of Sicily contains from 2 to 11 per cent of 
impurities and is known as “greggio,” which is graded as “best 
unmixed seconds,” “best unmixed thirds,” and “current thirds.” 
These three qualities represent the entire trade of Sicily in brim¬ 
stone. The refined Sicilian sulphur, known as “raffinite,” contains 
about one-half of 1 per cent of impurities. 

HISTORY OF THE INDUSTRY. 


Sulphur has been produced commercially in Sicily for several 
hundred years past. For many years past and up to 1903 about 
95 per cent of the world’s supply was mined and prepared for sale 
in that country. 

In 1838 a monopoly of the Sicilian export trade in sulphur was 
placed in the hands of a French company (MM. Taix & Cie., of 
Marseille), which nearly tripled the price of sulphur. This increase 
in price forced the manufacturers of sulphuric acid to learn how to 
use iron pyrites as their source of sulphur. As a result the Sicilian 
producers lost all of this trade, which they have never been able to 
regain. Then followed the withdrawal of the French monopoly with 
the subsequent reestablishment of the old price of about $25 per ton 
for sulphur. 

19 



20 UNITED STATES TARIFF COMMISSION REPORT. 

The next important event in the history of the sulphur industry was 
the development, in about 1890, of the Chance-Claus process for the 
recovery of sulphur from the alkali waste of the Le Blanc soda 
process. Advantage was taken of the possibilities of this process to 
cause internal competition among the Sicilian producers, with the 
result that the selling price of brimstone was reduced to about $11 
per ton, out of which had to he paid the export tax of $1.95 per ton. 
This state of affairs continued for some time, until 1896, when the 
Sicilian laborers were on the verge of starvation and revolution. In 
this year efforts originating in England resulted in the combination of 
the British and Sicilian interests with the formation of the Anglo- 
Sicilian Sulphur Co. This combination received the hearty support 
of the Italian Government, which reduced the export tax on sulphur 
to 1 lire (19.3 cents) per ton. There followed an increase in the 
wages of the laborers, abolishment of child labor, and withdrawal 
of heavy income taxes. The formation of this company resulted 
in fair and satisfactory prices to both the consumer and producer 
and a period of 10 years of peace and prosperity in Sicily. 

In 1865 a large underground deposit of sulphur was found in west¬ 
ern Louisiana. There followed nearly 30 years of effort on the part 
of different companies to successfully work this deposit by the ordi¬ 
nary mining methods. They all resulted in failure, loss of life and of a 
large amount of capital, until in 1903, when an ingenious method 
invented by Herman Frasch proved an industrial success. From 
this time on the American market in sulphur was gradually lost to 
the Anglo-Sicilian Sulphur Co. This company, therefore, exercised 
its option of terminating its agreement with the Sicilian producers 
in July, 1906. The Italian Government then placed the sale and 
regulation of the production of Sicilian sulphur in the hands of the 
“Consorzio Obbligatorio per lTndustria Solfifera Siciliana. ” At the 
same time sulphur was relieved of all export tax. The American 
output of sulphur has had a decided effect on the industry in Sicily. 
The sale of Sicilian sulphur, which up to 1903 was 95 per cent of the 
world’s supply, has been reduced to about 50 per cent at the end of 
1913. The maximum production of 559,767 long tons of sulphur in 
Sicily was reached in 1905, and has since fallen to as low as 343,973 
long tons in 1913. In 1914 there was a slight gain to 397,061 long 
tons. The United States imports of Sicilian sulphur have decreased 
rapidly since 1903 until in 1913 they were negligible. 

In 1915 the United States surpassed the other great sulphur-pro¬ 
ducing country, Sicily, and now occupies the dominating position 
in the sulphur industry of the world. Sulphur was used in large 
quantities in the production of sulphuric acid during the war owing 
to the large increased demand which could not be supplied by either 
imported or domestic pyrites. This caused an increase in the 
domestic production of more than 1,000,000 tons. It is expected 
that sulphur will again displace pyrites to a large extent in the 
manufacture of sulphuric acid in the United States. 

LARGEST PRODUCERS. 

The leading producing countries are the United States, Italy, 
Japan, and Chile in the order given. The size of the industry in each 
country is discussed individually as follows: 


PYRITES AND SULPHUR INDUSTRY. 


21 


Lulled States. —Prior to the successful development, in 1903, of the 
Louisiana sulphur deposit the sulphur production of the United 
States was less than one-half of 1 per cent of the consumption. In 
the following year, 1904, enough sulphur was produced to supply the 
entire domestic consumption. The output increased rapidly until in 
1915 the United States obtained a decided lead over Sicily in the 
production of sulphur. 

The two States of Louisiana and Texas in 1917 produced 99 per 
cent of the entire output of sulphur in this country. The remainder 
is produced in Nevada and Wyoming for local consumption. The 
production of sulphur in 1917 was about 1,350,000 long tons. 

Production in United States. 

[Figures from Mineral Resources of the United States. 1 ] 


Years. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Years. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

1900. 

Long tons. 
3,147 
( 2 ) 

( 2 ) 

( 2 ) 

127,292 
181,677 
294,153 
293,106 
369,444 

$ 88,100 
( 2 ) 

( 2 ) 

( 2 ) 

2,663,760 

3,706,560 

5,096,678 
5,142,850 
6,668,215 

1909. 

Long tons. 
239,312 
255,534 
265,664 
303,472 
311,590 
327,634 
410,000 
900,000 
1,350,000 

$4,432,066 
4,605,112 
4,787,049 
5,256,422 
5,479,849 
5,954,236 

1901. 

1910. 

1902. 

1911. 

1903. 

1912. 

1904. 

1913. 

1905. 

1914.]. 

1906. 

1915 3 . 

1907. 

1916 4 . 


1908. 

1917 &. 






1 Listed as marketed production. 

2 Not reported. 

3 Estimated; see Mineral Industry, vol. 25, p. 667. 

4 From statement of Freenort Sulphur Co., published in Mineral Resources for 1916, Pt. II, p. 403. 

6 Mineral Resources for 1917 reported that the 1917 production was about 50 per cent greater than in 1916. 


Italy .—This country at the present time ranks second to the United 
States in the quantity of sulphur produced. The production for the 
year 1915 was 329,581 long tons, an amount less than the preceding 
year. In fact, the production of sulphur in Italy has been on the 
decline for several years, owing to competition from the United States. 
Since 1916 the export demand for England, France, Australia, 
Russia, and Sweden has been very active, but even in the face of this 
demand the production is still decreasing, due to the increased cost 
of fuel and 1 explosives. 

Thorpe states that “In addition to the 16,000,000 tns of sulphur 
whch have been mined, prepared, and sold, it has been officially 
reported by a highly qualified engineer that the quantity of commer¬ 
cial sulphur, still in sight in the Sicilian deposits, amounts to about 
34,000,000 tons.” 

Japan .—The exports of sulphur from Japan, prior to the war, were 
declining rapidly. They continued to decrease until the entrance of 
Italy in the war. The participation of Italy must have curtailed its 
output with a resulting shortage and keen demand in the European 
markets. Moreover, there has arisen a new demand for Japanese 
sulphur for war use in Russia. This has resulted in greatly increased 
exports from Japan to that country. The following table from the 
Mineral Industry, 1916, page 672, shows the exports from Japan for 
1914 and 1915, classified according to the destination. 

This table also illuustrates the increase in the production of sulphur 

in Japan. 


1 Thorpe: Dictionary of Applied Chemistry, vol. 5, p. 287. 








































22 


UNITED STATES TARIFF COMMISSION REPORT. 


Exports of tulphur from Japan. 


Country. 

i 

Exports. 

1914 

1915 

Australia . 

Pounds. 

52,204,636 
3,975,658 
2,111,053 
734,815 
41,609,098 

Pounds. 

63,356,168 
11,586,428 
10,524,868 
11,819,997 
60,655,332 

Canada. 

India. 

Russia. 

United States. 

Total. 

100,635,260 

157,942,793 



The production of sulphur in Japan for the year 1916 was 92,677 
metric tons, an increase of 50.9 per cent over that of 1915. It 
seems improbable that Japan will be able to maintain this increased 
production at the close of war, with normal conditions restored in 
ocean shipping. 

The ruling price for sulphur in Japan during 1916 was $35 per ton 
f. o. b. 1 Yokohama. 

Chile .—During the year 1915 there was unusual activity exhibited 
in the sulphur industry in Chile. The production was much in excess 
of any previous year. Plans for still increasing the output were 
formulated, and if carried out will require the companies to look 
about for new markets. At the present time the vineyards of 
southern Chile consume practically the entire output. Chile and 
also Peru contain a number of undeveloped sulphur deposits, which 
have as yet received no attention. The greatest obstacle to the 
dev elopment of these deposits is the fact that they occur at very 
higY altitudes. The difficulties of transportation in Chile have 
restricted the development of the industry, but this in part has been 
remedied. The production of sulphur in 1914 in Chile was 10,008 
metric tons. 


Production of sulphur in principal countries. 2 


Quantity in long tons. 


Austria 3 4 *.... 

Chile. 

France 3 . 

Germany.... 

Greece. 

Italy 3 . 

Japan. 

Spain. 

United States 

Total... 


Country. 




1900 

1901 

1902 

1903 

1904 

1905 

969 

4,967 

3,764 

4,536 

6,327 

8,404 

2,432 

2,475 

2,594 

3,503 

3,536 

3,414 

11,365 

6,726 

7,892 

7,256 

5,359 

4,562 

1,422 

947 

479 

215 

206 

'202 

877 

2,298 

1,369 

1,246 

1,205 

1,108 

535,359 

554,030 

502,117 

554,836 

519,069 

559;767 

14,207 

16,283 

17,992 

22,545 

25,175 

24, 255 

738 

600 

443 

1,653 

595 

600 

4,555 

6,864 

7,443 

35,086 

193,423 

214,923 

571,923 

595,195 

544,093 

620,876 

754,895 

817,235 


1 Commerce Reports, Feb. 28,1917. 

2 Converted from the table on world’s production of sulphur in Mineral Industry. 

3 Crude mineral, limestone impregnated with sulphur. 

4 Includes such production from Hungary. 












































PYRITES AND SULPHUR INDUSTRY. 


23 


Production of sulphur in principal countries —Continued. 


Country. 


Austria. 

Chile. 

France. 

Germany.... 

Greece. 

Italy. 

Japan. 

Spain. 

United States 

Total.. 


Quantity in long tons. 


1906 


15,012 
4,524 
2,669 
175 
1 984 
491,767 
27,145 
689 
293,895 


832,336 


1907 


23,809 
2,858 
1,968 
173 
1 984 
420,098 
32,792 
3,554 
307,696 


789,000 


1908 


17,148 
2,661 
2,154 
799 
1 984 
438,142 
32,881 
13,649 
307,666 


816,084 


1909 


12,649 
4,435 
2,853 
1,166 
1 984 
428,056 
35,732 
21,400 
298,122 


804,445 


1910 


15,719 

3.761 

2,598 

1,252 


423,431 
43,142 
29,628 
255,518 


775,049 


1911 


15,601 

4,379 

1,181 

1,231 

171 

407,995 

51,226 

40,007 

242,335 


764,126 


Austria. 

Chile. 

France. 

Germany.... 

Greece. 

Italy. 

Japan. 

Spain. 

United States 

Total.. 


Quantity in long tons. 


Country. 


1912 


1913 


14,738 

4,360 

984 


10,391 

6,540 

648 


( 2 ) 

1,984 

351,790 

54,119 

41,662 

303,563 


773,200 


( 3 ) 

343,973 

58,523 

61,644 

311,683 


1914 

1915 

1916 

1917 




• 

9,847 











( 3 ) 

397,061 

58,886 

( 2 ) 

327,732 




374,118 
60,416 
28,471 
i 410,000 

91,185 





i 900,000 

1 1 , 350,000 










i Estimated. 


2 Not yet reported. 


s Nil. 


METHODS OF MINING. 

Sulphur was first mined in Sicily. The deposits in this coimtry 
occur at a depth of from 150 to 650 feet, the sulphur being associated 
with gypsum. The ore which contains at the most 40 per cent of 
sulphur was, formerly, brought to the surface on the backs of laborers. 
Later this method was replaced by the installation of mechanical 
hoisting apparatus. The sulphur is then removed from the gangue by 
melting; part of the sulphur itself is used as fuel. This method re¬ 
covers only about 60 per cent of the sulphur in the ore. Steam ex¬ 
traction of sulphur has been successfully applied at Romanga, Italy, 
but this process does not appear to be practicable on a large scale in 
Sicily, due to the high cost of fuel and to the large losses occasioned by 
the large amounts of gypsum associated with the sulphur.. 

The deposits, from which sulphur is obtained in the United States, 
are geographically associated with the “Dome formations.” dhe 
Louisiana deposit, which is a typical one, has an average depth of 125 
feet; it is about one-half mile in diameter; and it contains not less 
than 40,000,000 tons of sulphur. This deposit has an overburden of 
about 450 feet, which is mainly quicksand impregnated with hydrogen 
sulphide waters. It was this overburden that caused the failure of 
the ordinary mining methods when applied to this deposit. 

The difficulties were overcome by a radically new process, which was 
invented by Herman Frasch. In essentials the process consists in 
introducing superheated water into the sulphur beds, the sulphur is 
thereby melted and blown to the surface by means of hot compressed 

































































24 


UNITED STATES TARIFF COMMISSION REPORT. 


air. This is accomplished by drilling, and sinking concentric pipes 
into the sulphur bed. The superheated water is introduced through 
one pipe, compressed air through a second, and the sulphur rises 
through the third one. One,of these wells usually produces about 
70,000 tons of sulphur during its period of usefulness. This method 
requires large quantites of hot water, approximately 7,000 gallons per 
ton of sulphur mined. Crude oil is used as fuel, and its local avail¬ 
ability and cheapness have largely contributed to the successful 
operation of the Frasch process. 

The molten sulphur as it comes from the wells is run into large bins. 
It cools rapidly, thus enabling the sides of the bins to be raised with 
the increase in depth of the solidified sulphur. These bins often reach 
a height of 65 feet. In this manner blocks have been formed con¬ 
taining as much as 150,000 tons of sulphur. 

When it is desired to ship the sulphur, a temporary track is laid 
parallel to the long side of the bin. The boards are removed from 
the sides and the sulphur is blasted down. It is then loaded into 
gondola cars by means of a large locomotive crane equipped with a 
grab’ bucket. The cars of sulphur on reaching the shipping port are 
emptied into the steamer by means of automatic machinery, which 
permits the docking, loading, and sailing of a steamer in 12 hours. 
From a shipping standpoint the mines of the United States are 
advantageously located. They are situated close to the Gulf ports, 
and also have direct connections with southern railways. 

. IMPORTANT USES. 

1. Combating fungous diseases of plants, especially grapes and hops. 
This is a large use in France. 

2. Manufacture of lime-sulphur solution, which is used as a fungi¬ 
cide for spraying trees and plants and also as a sheep dip. These 
are large uses in the United States. 

3. The production of sulphur dioxide, which in turn is used for the 
following purposes: 

Sulphite process of digesting wood pulp. About 150,000 
tons were used in the United States in 1916. This is the 
largest single use in normal times. 

The manufacture of sulphuric acid, especially the grades of 
higher strength and purity. 

The bleaching of silk and straw. 

Disinfection purposes. 

Preservation of beverages and food, especially dried fruits. 

Manufacture of sodium sulphite and bisulphite. 

4. Vulcanization of rubber. 

5. The manufacture of matches. 

6. Old-fashioned gunpowder. Sulphur, however, is not used as an 
ingredient of the modern smokeless powder. 

7. Manufacture of certain varieties of cements. 

8. Manufacture of carbon disulphide. 

9. Manufacture of sulphur chlorides. 

10. In the dye industry. 

11. Manufacture of sodium thiosulphate, commonly known as 
“hypo” in the photographic trade. 

12. Vulcanization of corn and linseed oils. 


PYRITES AND SULPHUR INDUSTRY. 


25 


COST OF PRODUCTION. 

Tlie lopoit of the Federal Trade Commission to the President on 
profiteering, in response to Senate resolution 255, which was pub¬ 
lished m the Official Bulletin, No. 348, June 29, 1918, contains the 

following statements on the cost of producing sulphur in the United 
StcitGS I 

Two companies produce all the sulphur in this country—the 
Freeport,Sulphur Co. and the Union Sulphur Co.” 

. . cost of the Freeport Co. in 1917 was $6.15 per ton; in 1918 
it is estimated that increases will bring the cost up to not over $9.50 
per ton. In the first half of 1917 the Union Cods costs were $5.73 
per ton. The average realization of the Union Co. in the first half 
of 1917 was $18.11 per ton, making a margin of $12.38 per ton. The 
manufacturers of sulphuric acid are paying in the neighborhood of 
$25 per ton, and some as high as $35 per ton, making margins of over 
$15 per ton for sulphur companies. The Freeport Cods balance 
sheets show an operating profit for the 11 months ending October 31, 
1917, of $4,301,310, or 236 per cent on investment. On November 
30, 1916, the company’s balance sheets show dividends declared of 
$925,000; on July 31, 1917, $1,850,000; and October 31, 1917, 
$2,600,000. Its surplus increased from $1,254,000 in November, 
1916,^to $2,543,000 in October, 1917.” 

“These companies may be said to have a natural monopoly of 
sulphur. Since they have placed their operations upon an estab¬ 
lished basis, they have always made large earnings. They have 
taken advantage of the existing situation to raise their price.” 

IMPORTS OF SULPHUR. 


Imports by countries. 
[Fiscal years.] 


Imported from— 

1902 

1909 

1910 

1911 

Long 

tons. 

Value. 

Long 

tons. 

Value. 

Long 

tons. 

Value. 

Long 

tons. 

Value. 

Italy. 

United Kingdom .. 
North America .... 

Japan . 

South America .... 

163,571 

7,681 

15,448 

$3,111,971 
161,387 

290,826 

8,371 

2 

5 

9,433 

76 

$148,632 
58 
75 

156,880 
1,223 

11,399 

7 

297 

17,195 

200 

230 

1 

$214,485 
199 
7,235 
275,797 
2,516 
3,414 
24 

8,753 

10 

5 

14,705 

$167,460 
242 
160 
243,998 

China. 





All other. 

Total. 

780 

18,700 

20 

339 

4 

112 

187,480 

3,582,884 

17,907 

307,207 

29,329 

503,670 

25,496 

411,972 

Imported from— 

1912 

1913 

1914 

Long 

tons. 

Value. 

Long 

tons. 

Value. 

Long 

tons. 

Value. 

Italy . 

6,175 

10 

32 

19,279 

$120,860 
238 
829 
331,789 

6 

$153 

732 

224 

12 

18,406 

15 

$19,675 
6,217 
500 
328,519 
539 

TTnitp.d TCinedom. 

North America. 

Japan. 

98 
18,653 

2,372 
363,081 

Allother . . 

Total. 


. 



25,496 

453,716 

18,757 

365,606 

19,389 

355,450 




































































26 


UNITED STATES TARIFF COMMISSION REPORT 


Imports by countries —Continued. 


Imported from— 

1915 

1916 

1917 

1918 

Long 

tons. 

Value. 

Long 

tons. 

Value. 

Long 

tons. 

Value. 

Long 

tons. 

Value. 

Tt.alv 

157 

1 

90 

26,117 

83,608 

23 

2,000 

439,587 

201 

85,831 




. V 

Unit,fid TTin^dnm 

5 

13 

11,791 

8211 

483 

205,286 



North America. 

Japan. 

Total. 

30 

22,539 

540 

372,599 

4 

278 

875 

8,602 

26,365 

445,218 

22,770 

378,970 

11,809 

205,980 

282 

88,677 


Imports for consumption — Revenue. 

SULPHUR OR BRIMSTONE, CRUDE. 


Fiscal year. 

Rates of duty. 

Quan¬ 

tities 

(long 

tons). 

Values. 

Duties 

col¬ 

lected. 

Value 

per 

unit of 
quantity 
(long 
tons). 

Actual 
and com¬ 
puted ad 
valorem 
rate 
(per 
cent). 

1909. 

Free. 

17,897 
31,233 
23,380 
25,545 
19,257 
6,848 
13,388 
25,842 
22,539 
11,819 
282 

8307,207 
537,778 
409,990 
453,754 
374,024 
124,468 
222,407 
442,975 
372,599 
205,980 
8,677 


817.17 
17.22 
17.54 

17.76 

19.42 
18.18 
16.61 
17.14 
16.53 

17.42 

30.77 


1910. 

.do. 



1911. 




1912. 

.do. 



1913. 

.do. 



1914 1 . 

.do. 



1914 2 . 

.do. 



1915. 

.do. 



1916. 

.do. 



1917. 

.do. 



1918. 

.do. 








SULPHUR, SUBLIMED, OR FLOWERS OF. 


1909. 

88 per ton. 

1910 3 . 

... .".do. 

1910 4 . 

84 per ton. 

1911. 

.do. 

1912. 

.do. 

1913. 

.do. 

1914 1 . 

.do. 

1914 2 . 

Free. 

1915. 

.do. 

1916. 

.do. 

1917. 

.do. 

1918 3 . 





426 

813,035 

83,404 

830. 60 

26.12 

345 

9,956 

2,759 

28. 87 

27.71 

821 

23,914 

3,283 

29.14 

13.73 

969 

27,296 

3,877 

28.16 

14.20 

3,921 

87,062 

15,686 

22.20 

18.02 

6,104 

122.093 

24,416 

20.00 

20.00 

289 

7,801 

1,158 

26.95 

14.84 

309 

8,040 


26.01 


950 

31,292 


32.84 


200 

7', 512 


37.56 


295 

13,317 


45.14 












REFINED SULPHUR. 


1909. 

88 per ton. 

1910 3 . 

.do. 

1910 4 . 

84 per ton. 

1911. 

.do. 

1912. 

.do. 

1913. 

.do. 

1914 i. 

.do. 

1914 2 . 

Free. 

1915. 

.do. 

1916. 

.do. 

1917 5 . 


1918 5 . 





751 

50 

916 

999 

1,393 

1,742 

147 

1,376 

1,296 

850 

819,966 
1,335 
22,723 
24,072 
35,448 
41,626 
3,815 
35,819 
36,275 
26,778 

86,005 
398 
3,666 
3,997 
5,570 
6,969 
587 

826. 59 
27.26 

24. 79 
24.09 

25. 45 
23. 89 
26.00 
26.03 
28.00 
31.50 

30.08 
29.34 
16.13 
16. 60 

15. 72 

16. 74 
15. 83 


















1 July 1 to Oct. 3, 1913. 

2 Oct. 4, 1913, to June 30, 1914. 


6 Not listed 


3 July 1 to Aug. 5.1909. 

4 Aug. 6, 1909, to June 30,1910 









































































































































































PYRITES AND SULPHUR INDUSTRY. 

Imports for consumption—Revenue— Continued. 

SULPHUR, LAC OR PRECIPITATED. 


27 


Fiscal year. 

Rates of duty. 

1909. 

Free. 

1910. 


1911. 


1912. 


1913. 


1914. 


1915. 


1916. 


1917. 


1918. 





Quan¬ 

tities 

(long 

tons). 

Values. 

Duties 

col¬ 

lected. 

Value 

per 

unit of 
quantity 
(long ‘ 
tons). 

Actual 
and com¬ 
puted ad 
valorem 
rate 
O'er 
cent). 

114,699 
110,886 
130,633 
150,952 
715,876 
233,896 
208,568 
217,997 
69,145 
84, 224 

$7,442 
6,672 
8,098 
9,670 
13,723 
13,636 
13,187 
16,628 
7,009 
10,797 


$0.065 
.060 
.062 
.064 
.019 
.058 
.063 
.076 
.101 
.128 























DOMESTIC EXPORTS OF SULPHUR. 


Exports of sulphur have increased from 45,595 long tons, valued 
at $864,808, in 1910 to 177,548 long tons, valued at $3,595,512, in 1917. 
In 1918 the export of sulphur decreased to 140,525 long tons, valued 
at $3,842,512. The exports of sulphur have been chiefly to Canada. 
The following table shows the exports of sulphur by countries since 
1909. 

DOMESTIC EXPORTS (SULPHUR OR BRIMSTONE). 


Exported to— 

1909 

1910 

1911 

Long 

tons. 

Value. 

Long 

tons. 

Value. 

Long 

tons. 

Value. . 

Franco*.. 

12,450 
4,570 
1,650 
8,125 
120 

9 

4,601 

$249,000 

91,400 

33,000 

162,734 

2,486 

188 

91,719 

25,570 
1,999 
1,113 
15,226 
10 
1,500 
168 

9 

$471,475 
38,032 
22,854 
297,557 
197 
31,000 
3,455 
238 



Germany. 

Netherlands. 

1,355 

$26,560 

Canada. 

Mexico and Central America. 

Newfoundland and Labrador. 

West Indies. 

All other. 

Total. 

14,104 
18 
1,500 
263 
29 

267,099 
377 
26,250 
5,729 
720 

31,525 

630,527 

45,595 

864,808 

17,269 

326,735 


Exported to— 

1912 

1913 

1914 

Long 

tons. 

Value. 

Long 

tons. 

Value. 

Long 

tons. 

Value. 

France. 

Germany. 

Netherlands. 

18,100 
3,790 
800 
16,697 
171 
1,400 
309 

2 

$339,550 

78.300 
16,000 

313,439 

3,470 

27.300 
6,248 

42 

38,260 
8,241 

$6S2,550 
147,407 

48,500 
20,220 
13,100 
18,964 
781 
4,000 
297 
i 4,160 

$851,650 
406,350 
229,250 
364,909 
16,780 
70,000 
6,167 
73,618 

Canada. 

Mexico and Central America. 

Newfoundland and Labrador. 

West Indies. 

All other. 

Total. 

23,720 

663 

2,500 

413 

64 

448,719 

15,988 

48,750 

8,458 

1,438 

41,269 

784,349 

73,861 

1,353,310 

110,022 

2,018,724 


i Includes 4,000 tons to French Africa. 





















































































































28 


UNITED STATES TARIFF COMMISSION REPORT. 

DOMESTIC EXPORTS (SULPHUR OR BRIMSTONE)—Continued. 


Exported to— 

1915 

1916 

1917 

-1- 

Long 

tons. 

Value. 

Long 

tons. 

Value. 

Long tons. 

Value. 

France. 

6/804 

$119,072 

8,000 

$160,000 

22,977 

$470,067 

Netherlands. 

Canada. 

Mexico and Centra! America. 

Newfoundland and Labrador 

6,450 
33,165 
674 

112,875 
602,692 
19,816 

2 

44,552 
1,426 

85 

814,620 
33, 709 

69,895 
6,823 
4/002 
2,935 
3,100 
27,682 
40,134 

1,316,844 
127,775 
70,104 
64,137 
122, 229 
563,888 
860,468 

West Indies. 

South America.'. 

Norway and Sweden. 

All other. 

Total. 

255 

455 

480 

108 

7,630 
11,231 
9, 700 
2/740 

419 
571 
12, 793 
697 

10,400 
14, 742 

263,852 
16,882 

48,391 

885,756 

68,460 

1,314,290 

177, 548 

3,595,904 

Exported to— 

\ ... ’ . 

1 

Long 

tons. 

918 

Value. 

France. 

4,938 
90,859 
7,924 
36,804 

140,525 

$103,424 
2,169,701 
233,933 
1,335,846 

3,842,904 

Canada. 

Mexico and Central America. 

All other. 

Total. 



WHOLESALE PRICES OF SULPHUR. 

From 1909 to February, 1916 the price of sulphur remained 
absolutely constant at $22 per ton f. o. b. New York, in March, 1916, 
the price was raised to $28.50 per ton on the plea that scarcity 
of ocean shipping made it necessary to ship by rail. By June, 1916 
the price of spot sulphur had increased to $35 pei ton, although-trade 
p ^ ers reported that future contracts could be secured at $30 per 
t c In March, 1917, there was a further advance in price to $45 
per ton, which was the high level during the war. The following 
table shows the price of sulphur by quaiteis since 1912. 


Sulphur or brimstone ( wholesale), per long ton, spot, New York. 


[Data from Oil, Paint, and Drug Reporter.! 


Years. 

January. 

April. 

July. 

October. 

1912. 

$22 © $22.50 
22 @ 22.50 
22 @ 22.50 
22 @ 22. 50 
22 @ 22.50 
— © 35.00 
35 © 45.00 
28 @ 35.00 

$22 @ $22.50 
22 © 22.50 
22 © 22.50 
22 © 22.50 
29 @ 30.00 
45 @ — 
Nominal. 
28 @ 35.00 

$22 @ $22.50 
22 @ 22.50 
22 @ 22.50 
22 © 22.50 
- @ 35.00 
45 © — 
Nominal. 

$22 @ $22. 50 
22 © 22.50 
22 @ 22.50 
22 @ 22.50 
- @ 35.00 
45 @ — 

30 @ — 

1913. 

1914. 

1915.. 

1916. 

1917. 

1918. 

1919. 













































































PYRITES AND SULPHUR INDUSTRY 


29 


Sulphur, roll, wholesale, in dollars per 100 pounds, spot, New York. 

[Data from Oil, Paint, and Drug Reporter.] 


Years. 

January. 

April. 

July. 

October. 

1912. 

1.85 @ 2.15 
1.85 @ 2.15 
1.85 @ 2.15 
1.85 © 2.15 
1.85 @ 2.15 
1.95 @2.25 
3.70 @ 4.15 
3.20 @ — 

1.85 @ 2.15 
1.85 @ 2.15 
1.85 @ 2.15 
1.85 @ 2.15 
1.95 @ 2.25 
2.20 © 2. 50 

1.85 @ 2.15 
1.85 @ 2.15 
1.85 © 2.15 
1.85 @ 2.15 
1.95 © 2.25 
3.70 © 4.15 

1.85 @ 2.15 
1.85 @ 2.15 
1.85 @ 2.15 
1.85 @ 2.15 
1.95 @ 2.25 
3. 70 © 4.15 
3.70 @ — 

1913. 

1914. 

1915. 

1916. 

1917. 

1918. 

1919. 

2.70 © — 






Sulphur, flour, ivholesale, in dollars per 100 pounds, spot, Nem York. 

[Data from Oil, Paint, and Drug Reporter.] 


Years. 

January. 

April. 

July. 

October. 

1912. 

82. 00 @82.40 
2. 00 © 2.40 
2. 00 @ 2.40 
2.00 © 2. 40 
2.00 © 2.40 
2.10 © 2.50 
3.85 @ 4.40 
3.35 @ — 

$2.00 @82.40 
2. 00 @ 2.40 
2.00 © 2. 40 
2.00 @ 2.40 
2.10 @ 2. 50 
2.35 © 2. 75 
3.25 @ — 
2.85 @ — 

82.00 @82.40 
2.00 © 2. 40 
2.00 © 2.40 
2.00 © 2.40 
2.10 © 2. 50 
3. 85 © 4.40 
3. 50 © — 

82.00 ©82.40 
2.00 © 2.40 
2.00 © 2.40 
2.00 © 2.40 
2.10 © 2. 50 
3.85 @ 4.40 
3.85 @ — 

1913. 

1914. 

1915. 

1916. 

1917. 

1918. 

1919 .. . 





Sulphur, flowers of, wholesale, in dollars per 100 pounds, spot, New York. 


[Data from Oil, Paint, and Drug Reporter.] 


Years. 

January. 

i 

April. 

July. 

October. 

1912 . 

82.20 @82.60 
2.20 © 2.60 
2.20 @ 2. 60 
2.20 @ 2. 60 
2. 20 © 2. 60 
2. 30 @ 2. 70 
4.05 © 4. 60 
3.55 @ — 

82.20 @82.60 
2.20 @ 2. 60 
2.20 © 2. 60 
2. 20 © 2. 60 
2. 30 @ 2. 70 
2.55 © 2.95 
4.05 © — 
3.05 @ — 

82.20 @82.60 
2. 20 © 2. 60 
2. 20 © 2. 60 
2.20 @ 2. 60 
2. 30 © 2. 70 
4.05 @ 4. 60 
4. 05 © — 

82. 20 @82.60 
2.20 © 2.60 
2.20 © 2. 60 
2.20 @ 2. 60 
2. 30 © 2. 70 
4.05 @ 4. 60 
3.95 @ —— 

1913. 

1914 . 

1915 .. 

1916 . 

1917 . 

1918 . 

1919 





TARIFF HISTORY. 

Crude sulphur or brimstone has been free of duty since the passage 
of the act of 1883. Sulphur, refined, sublimed, or flowers of sulphur 
was dutiable until the passage of the act of 1913 when sulphur in 
every form was placed on the free list. The table following shows the 
rates of duty on sulphur under the various tariff acts. 
































































30 


UNITED STATES TARIFF COMMISSION REPORT. 


Rates of duty. 


Act of— 


Para¬ 

graph. 


Tariff classification or description. 


1883 

1890 

1894 

1897 

1909 

1913 


77 

78 

632 

633 
88 

727 

71 

642 

84 

674 

81 

686 

617 


Sulphur, ref ned in rolls. 

Sulphur, subimed, or flowers of.. 

Sulphur, or brimstone, n. s. e. or p. f. in this act. 

Sulphur, lac or precipitated. 

Sulphur, refined. 

Sulphur, sublimed or flowers of. 

Sulphur, lac or precipitated, and sulphur or brimstone crude, in bulk, 
_, and sulphur n. o. p. f. 

Sulphur, refined, sublimed, or flowers of. 

Sulphur, lac or precipitated, and sulphur or brimstone, crude, in bulk, 
_, and sulphur n. o. p. f. 

Sulphur, refined or sublimed, or flowers of. 

Sulphur, lac or precipitated, and sulphur or brimstone, crude, in bulk, 
_, and sulphur n. o. p. f. 

Sulphur, refined or sublimed, or flowers of. 

Sulphur, lac or precipitated, and sulphur or brimstone, crude, in bulk, 
_, and sulphur n. o. p. f. 

Sulphur in any form, brimstone.. 


Rates of duty 
specific and 
ad valorem. 


$10 per ton. 
$20 per ton. 
Free. 

Do. 

$8 per ton. 
$10 per ton. 
Free. 

20 per cent. 
Free. 

$8 per ton. 
Free. 

$4 per ton. 
Free. 

Do. 


COURT AND TREASURY DECISIONS. 

Litigation turned upon what constitutes refined sulphur. Ground 
sulphur invoiced as “soufre raffine en masse,'” and described as “the 
residue of the process of sublimation for the production of the article 
known as 'flower of sulphur/ ” was held neither “sulphur refined in 
rolls/ nor “sublimed, or flowers of sulphur” but sulphur not specially 
provided for, within the act of 1883. (Appeal, T. D. 8442, of 1887.) 

So-called recovered sulphur, extracted from the alkali waste ob¬ 
tained in manufacturing soda from salt, though used like refined 
sulphur in some of the arts, was classified as “sulphur not otherwise 
provided for,” and not as refined under the act of 1890. (G. A. 

432, T. D. 10937 of 1891.) < 

Sulphur ground but subjected to no process of sublimation or dis¬ 
tillation was held crude, or sulphur not otherwise provided for, and 
not refined, under the act of 1894. (G. A. 3742, T. D. 17756 of 1896.) 

This decision overruled G. A. 1409, T. D. 12813, of 1892, holding sul¬ 
phur with a residue of 0.3 per cent after calcination dutiable as re¬ 
fined. 

But ground or roll sulphur, with less than one-half of 1 per cent of 
impurities, was held within the provision in paragraph 84 of the act 
of 1897 for “sulphur, refined or sublimed, or flowers of,” carrying a 
duty of $8 per ton. (Vandivers v. United States, 156 Fed. 961, T. D. 
28521, of 1907; Jordan v. United States, T. D. 28210, Suit 4353 of 
1907; contra (prior case not fully prosecuted), United States v. 
Oorbitt, T. D. 27653, of 1901, declaring refined sulphur of commerce 
to be not rolled but powdered.) 

Sulphur mined in Hokkaido, Japan, and containing from 90 to 97 
per cent of pure sulphur, was held not refined. (T. D. 31962, of 1911, 
reversing T. D. 31775.) So also was Japanese sulphur called 
“Bungo, ” which is expelled by volcanic force from geysers, in almost 
a pure state, then drawn off in conduits and when cooled, broken into 
lumps and packed in sacks for transportation. Refined or sublimed 
sulphur was declared to be the result of one or more processes of 
artificial sublimation and not a pure or substantially pure naturally 



























PYRITES AND SULPHUR INDUSTRY. 


31 


produced sulphur. Sublimation was defined as the artificial distilla¬ 
tion of sulphur in the course of which the sulphur content is, after 
evaporation, deposited, collected and formed according to the com¬ 
mercial or other designed uses. “Crude” was interpreted as referring 
to substances or articles in a condition unfit for the intended ultimate 
purpose or use. (Newhall v. United States, 4 Ct. Oust. Appls., 134, 
of 1913.) 

A certificate attached to the invoice and reciting that the sulphur 
had not been sublimed was accepted as sufficient proof for the free 
entry of Japanese sulphur. (Dept. Order, T. D. 33556, of 1913.) 

BIBLIOGRAPHY. 

Mineral Resources of the United States, United States Geological Survey. 

The Mineral Industry, edited by G. A. Rousch. 

Thorpe’s Dictionary of Applied Chemistry. 

Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. Volume 4, 1912. 

PRODUCERS OF CRUDE SULPHUR, BRIMSTONE. 

The Union Sulphur Co., 17 Battery Place, New York. Sulphur, La. 

The Freeport Sulphur Co., Freeport, Tex. 

The Texas Gulf Sulphur Co., 50 East Forty-Second Street, New York. 

American Sulphur Co., Thermopolis, Wyo. 

Cuprite Sulphur Mining Co., Los Angeles, Calif. 

The Nevada Sulphur Co. 

Midwest Sulphur Co., Park County, Wyo. 

Sulphur Mining & Railroad Co., Richmond, Va. 

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